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College of Naturopathic Medicine

February 2023 NPLEX Results

NPLEX Part I Examination

First-Time Test Takers Pass Rate

Sonoran University – 95%
All Schools – 72% (Sonoran accounts for 30% of this number)

NPLEX Part II Examination

First-Time Test Takers Pass Rate

Sonoran University – 77%
All Schools – 74% (Sonoran accounts for 30% of this number)

We Shape the Future

Sonoran University of Health Sciences is dedicated to the core values that sustain us through times that require resiliency. They guide us after those times, as we look toward the horizon at what tomorrow brings. The purpose of Sonoran University, from its foundation in 1996 to today, has been to educate the next generation of evidence-based healers and leaders. Every decision we make is made with this in mind, and it is the reason that since 2016, Sonoran University students outperform every other naturopathic institution on the NPLEX.

Every part of the curriculum is built around not just helping our students learn and pass an exam, but also building the skills they need under the mentorship and guidance of some of the most brilliant individuals practicing today. Mentors who guide them as they continue the work of generations, learning and discovering more, finding new ways to improve the health and well-being of our community. All being done as we discover new evidence-based principles while honoring our roots as a naturopathic institution.

Become the Future of Naturopathic Medicine

What is the NPLEX?

Naturopathic doctors, like other healthcare professionals, are required to take an exam demonstrating their knowledge and skill in providing competent healthcare. Taken in two or more parts, students take Part I after completing their second year of studies at Sonoran. This part of the NPLEX is meant to test the knowledge they’ve spent their first two years rigorously studying in preparation for. Part I of the exam, called the Biomedical Science Examination, is comprised of questions concerning physiology, anatomy, microbiology, biochemistry, and immunology. If a student successfully passes the first part of the exam, they receive their white coat and begin clinical education.

During the next two years, Sonoran University students collaborate with one another, as they work with real patients, under the direction of a licensed practitioner. During this time, students work with each other as they seek to deliver substantive treatment to our community. After completing their clinical experience, and with sufficient preparation, students take the second part of the NPLEX, the Core Clinical Science Examination. Some students go beyond this, taking up to four Clinical Elective Examinations that are required for additional scopes of practice.

After graduating students pass the NPLEX, they are recognized by the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, joining the ranks of licensed naturopathic practitioners recognized across twenty-four states, two US territories, and five Canadian provinces.

Learn More About the NPLEX